More employers working with Score to hire ex-offenders

Many former
offenders are disciplined, hard-working and have shown themselves
to be an asset in the workplace.

That is why
restaurant chain Nando's Chickenland Singapore has hired more than
200 former offenders since 2012, said its chief executive officer
June Koh.

Ms Koh's
support for them is now being shared by a growing pool of
employers, based on latest prison annual figures released
yesterday.

Some 350 new
employers started working with the Singapore Corporation of
Rehabilitative Enterprises (Score) last year to hire former
offenders. There were 5,093 such bosses last year, a 7.3 per cent
increase from the 4,745 in 2015. These companies cut across sectors
such as food and beverage, logistics and manufacturing.

Said Ms Koh:
"Many ex-offenders have since proven to be more disciplined than
others. They are an asset to the company and they deserve a second
chance."

Some, like
28-year-old Moon (not her real name), were able to secure a job
before their release.

While serving
a 15-month sentence in a drug rehabilitation centre, she took
courses in computer skills and communication, before scoring a job
at Nando's.

She was among
the 96 per cent of 2,061 inmates referred to Score last year who
successfully secured jobs while still serving their sentences, said
the Singapore Prison Service (SPS). This figure has been
"consistently high" over the last three years, with 96 per cent in
2014 and 95 per cent in 2015.

Ms Moon
started work as a member of the service crew four months before her
release in June last year, and recently took on the role of buddy
trainer to guide new staff. "Everyone at work accepted me for who I
am. They were very understanding and if I have any personal
problems - not just about work - I could talk to them," said Ms
Moon, who hopes to be an assistant manager in future.

The SPS said
that by enhancing their employability, rehabilitated inmates do not
go back to their old ways. Figures show that in 2015, about 84 per
cent of former inmates stayed on the job for at least three months,
while 70 per cent were gainfully employed for at least six
months.

Many inmates
also undergo training aligned to the national Workforce Skills
Qualifications framework. Last year, 5,131 inmates enrolled in
22,945 training places. This was fewer than the 5,137 inmates who
enrolled in 26,660 training places in 2015, although Score said
this was due to renovation works at one of the training facilities
last year.

Score's senior
assistant director of retention support Arputhasamy Nathan said the
jobs have to be suitable for former offenders, and employers should
also guide them in their work performance and career progression.
He said: "If the ex-offender stays on the job, he can become more
responsible towards himself and others, and that helps to lower
recidivism."

Community-based programmes also reaped success last year. They
include the Work Release Scheme, which grants leave to inmates at
the tail end of their sentence for employment.

A version of this article appeared in the
print edition of The Straits Times on February 15, 2017, with the
headline 'More employers working with Score to hire
ex-offenders'.

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